What is your dream career?

May 8, 2007

Do you ever feel you still don’t know what you want to be when you grow up?

If you’re dissatisfied with your work but aren’t sure what you’d like to do — you just know what you’re doing now isn’t it — you can find some clues to your dream career by looking at what you enjoy doing in your time off.

Your answers to the following questions can help you start to identify the type of jobs you’d most likely enjoy:

1. If you had an evening off, what would you rather do?

a. Go to a party.
b. Stay home and surf the Internet.
c. Work on a hobby such as scrapbooking or model building.
d. Go to a movie.

2. Which section of the newspaper do you turn to first?

3. What would you prefer to do at a party?

a. Greet people at the door.
b. Join in a discussion of current events.
c. Make hors d’oeuvres.
d. Entertain.

4. Which book would you rather receive as a gift?

a. Chicken Soup for the Soul.
b. A Brief History of Time.
c. How Things Work.
d. An art book for your coffee table.

5. What would you rather do in your spare time?

a. Catch up with friends over coffee.
b. Organize your closets.
c. Garden or do home renovations.
d. Write poetry.

6. It’s your turn to choose the movie. What’s your first choice?

a. A romantic comedy such as Sleepless in Seattle.
b. A thought-provoking drama such as A Beautiful Mind.
c. An action-adventure movie such as Star Wars.
d. An independent film such as What the Bleep Do We Know?

7. You’re at a social event. Who would you rather join?

a. A large group that is laughing a lot.
b. A small group having a lively discussion.
c. Several people playing a game such as pool or darts.
d. An individual who looks like an interesting person.

8. You have the chance to be on a reality show. You choose:

a. A show where your interpersonal skills can help you win, such as Survivor, The Apprentice, or The Bachelor.
b. None. You think reality shows are a mindless waste of time.
c. A show that gives you the chance to work hands-on to improve something, such as Trading Spaces.
d. A show where you can win on the basis of your talent, such as American Idol, Last Comic Standing, or Project Runway.

9. Which of the following would your friends say best describes you?

a. A people person
b. Intelligent
c. Handy
d. Creative

Your answers can give you some clues to your ideal career. While virtually all careers involve working with people, information, and things, and many allow some creativity in doing the job, most careers focus on one particular aspect and most of us have a distinct preference.